Evaluation of Peritoneo-venous Shunt Patency with $^{99m}Tc-phytate$

$^{99m}Tc-phytate$를 이용한 LeVeen 복막대정맥문합폐쇄의 진단

A simple imaging procedure has been devised for patients with peritoneo-venous shunts when ascites reaccumulates and a decision must be made on whether or not to revise the shunt. We recently experienced a patient with reaccumulated ascites in whom obstruction of peritoneo-venous shunt was suspected. 5 mCi of $^{99m}Tc-phytate$ was injected into the peritoneal cavity and imaging of the abdomen was performed $1\sim30$ minutes later. With a proper funtioning shunt, radioactivity in the liver and spleen were easily identifiable in this case. If the shunt is obstructed, tracer activity will remain in the peritoneal cavity and thus can not be identifiable in the liver or spleen. Conclusively, radionuclide methods might be very useful for evaluation of peritoneo-venous shunt patency.